Water separator



Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Oct. 12, 1950 P. A. MANKIN WATER SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. MANKIN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Pa'un.

Nov. 3, 1953 P. A. IMANKIN WATER SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1950 PN m1 F PAUL A. MHNKIN ATTORNEY Fatented Nov. 3, 1953 WATER SEPARATOR Paul A. Mankin, Fort Wayne, Ind; assignor to Bowser, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 12, 1950, Serial No. 189,694

15 Claims. Cl. 210-484) This invention relates to a water separator. More specifically, it relates to a separator for removing water entrained in aviation fuels.

It is a well known fact that water contained in aviation fuels becomes ice at the low temperatures encountered at high altitudes. The ice accumulates at various points in the fuelsystem'of an aircraft and interference with the flow of fuel therethrough.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for removing the water from the fuel at the fueling station.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for providing a separation unit which treats the fuel in several stages.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water separation element in which the fuel and water are, successively passed through a cellulose cartridge, a cartridge of glass wool and the final separation of the water is affected by a cloth.

A further object of the invention is to provide a first stage separator and filter of cellulose and a second stage separatorof glass fiber.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a two stage separator of cellulose and glass fibers in which the cellulose is removable as a. unit for replacement.

Another object is to provide a separator which is compact.

Still another object is to provide a separator which is easily manufactured.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of this specification and the drawings which are attached hereto and are made a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the separator tank with the separator units in place there- 1n.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a separator unit taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a glass fiber lamination.

Figure 4 is a sectional View of the laminatlen taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure-3.

This invention is an improvement on the invention, which is disclosed in the application of Harvey E. Marvel, Serial No. 181,391, filed August 25, 1950 for Water Fuel Separator.

Referring to the drawings, thenumeral I represents a. tank having a deck plate 3 mounted therein, a cover 5 removably mounted thereon and clamping means i for holding the cover in seal-.

ing relation on the tank. An inlet conduit "9 is connected at one end with the tank below the 2 deck plate and at the other end with a pump or other source of fuel under pressure (not shown). An outlet conduit ll communicates with the tank above the deck plate and serves to carry the clean, dehydrated fuel from the separator.

A number of separator units 13 are screwed into the deck plate 3 so as to receive the inliowing fuel and gaskets I5 prevent the leakage of untreated fuel from the inlet compartment H to the treated fuel compartment [9. A valved, suitable water drain 2| is provided at the bottom of compartment is just above the deck plate 3.

Figure 2 shows the separating unit iii in detail. The unit comprises a nipple 25 which is threaded at each end at 2'! and. 29 and provided with a collar 26 welded to the nipple adjacent the lower thread 29 which is received in the deck plate 3. y

A bottom head 3! is provided with athreaded boss 33 which receives the threads 21. The head is provided with a series of concentric circular bosses 35, 31 and 39 on its upper face.

A cylinder 4| of perforated metal is fitted over the boss 3'! while a cylinder of screen wire 43 is fitted over boss 35. A number of annular laminations 45 of glass' fibermaterial, which is preferably lightly bonded with a phenol formaldehyde resin which has been polymerized to render it insoluble, are inserted between the two cylinders and are compressed therein by the top head 41. The laminations are shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4 and are preferably made from a pad having a thickness of about one inch. These are then compressed to a thickness of about of an inch.

This compression is maintained by the hookbolts 49 which are entered in blind holes or depressions 5| formed in the lower head and'are passed through holes in the top head where they are held in place by nuts 53.

The upper head extends outwardly beyond the cylinder 43 and is provided with a down turned flange to which is attached by a wire or other band 57 a cylindrical cloth bag 59 which has a circularrwire it set in a'hem 63 formed at the bottom 'of'the bag; A conical bag 65 isfixed to the bag 59 adjacent the hem and tapers downwardly to' a point adjacent the collar where it formaldehyde resin impregnated paper wound into a convolute roll, so that the resin on adjacent is bound'toxthe nipple 25-bya wire-or other band i layers is merged, and which is thereafter baked to polymerize the resin, is mounted on the boss and gasket. The paper is only lightly impregnated with resin to afford little reduction of porosity. This cartridge is fully disclosed in the patent issued to Frank B. Harvuot, No. 2,584,387, issued February 5, 1952.

The top head is provided with a circular, central opening therein which has a diameter greater than that of the cartridge. A plug 11 is slidably mounted therein and has a seal 19 disposed on its periphery to engage the wall of said opening to seal it.

The plug is also provided with a, depending, downwardly converging tapered wall 8! which has a seat for a gasket 83 formed at its base. The wall and the gasket both engage the cartridge to center and seal it.

An opening 85 is formed in the plug to receive the rod 81 which is threaded at both ends. An acorn nut 89 is mounted on the upper end of the rod to seal the hole 85 while the lower end of the rod is screwed into a, tapped hole in the web 9|. Ports or openings 93 are formed in the lower head so that liquid rising in the nipple will enter the interior of the cartridge.

OPERATION The fuel and water mixture is delivered under pressure from the pump or other source through the conduit 9 into the chamber I! whence it flows through the deck plate, nipples and ports 93 to the interior of the cartridge 13. The seal rings [5, I I, 83 and I9 prevent the untreated fluid from flowing into the compartment [3 without passing through the treating bodies.

The liquid fiows through the cartridge, which performs the dual functions of coalescing minute particles of entrained water into somewhat larger particles and of removing solids, including particles of micronic size from the liquid. It has also been found from tests that gums which form in gasolines are removed in this cartridge.

After passing through the cartridge, the liquid passes through cylinder 4|, and through the glass fiber pack 45 where the water particles coalesce into large drops of water which form on the exterior of the cylinder 43 and then drop by gravity, downwardly between the bags 59, 85 and the remainder of the unit.

The treated fuel passes out through the bag 59 into the compartment l9 while the water finally pours, usually in a stream, through the cone 65 at or adjacent the lower end thereof, and collects adjacent the deck plate 3 where it may be removed through the drain 2|.

When the cartridge I3 becomes clogged, the nut 89 is removed and plug 11 is withdrawn. This releases the cartridge 13 which may then be lifted out of the unit and a new one installed in its place. Thereafter the plug TI and nut 89 are replaced.

The conical bosses 39 and 8! serve to center the cartridge and also, since they engage the inner edges of the cartridge they assist in sealing it.

As stated above, this cartridge serves both to protect the glass fiber pack from dirt and gum so as to greatly extend the life thereof and it also serves to partially coalesce the water particles.

Should the fiber glass pack become ineffective, it can be replaced by first removing the entire unit from the deck plate and tank, removing plug 11 and cartridge 13, removing the band 51 and dropping the bag 59. The nuts 53 can be loosened and the head 41 removed. This frees the cylinders ii and 43 so that they and the pack contained therein can be removed and replaced by a new element or the old pack may be removed. from the cylinders and a new set of laminations may be installed.

The pack when it is not confined at the ends expands beyond the cylinders. It is held compressed between the heads by the bolts 49 and a seal between the pack and heads is thus assured.

Thereafter, the unit is reassembled in an obvious manner.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structure and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustration; but instead, he desires protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fuel and water separator comprising a tank, a deck plate mounted in the tank to separate into first and second compartments, a supply conduit communicating with the first compartrnent, a water separating unit mounted on the deck plate within the second compartment and having an inlet communicating with the first compartment, said unit comprising means including a first water coalescing member disposed to intercept the liquid fiowing through said inlet, means including a second coalescing member disposed to intercept effluent from said first element and means including a separator for intercepting the effluent from said second member, said second compartment serving to collect the effluent from said separator, and separate fuel and water outlet conduits communicating with said second compartment.

2. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the first coalescing member is constructed of cellulose and has a, fine, porous structure which produces micronic filtration.

3. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the first coalescing member is constructed of cellulose which is impregnated with a polymerized phenol formaldehyde resin.

4. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the first coalescing member is constructed of cellulose impregnated with a water and fuel insoluble resin.

5. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the second coalescing member is constructed of compressed glass fibers and a bonding medium for bonding the fibers together.

6. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the second coalescing member is constructed of compressed glass fibers impregnated with a resin which is substantially insoluble in fuel and water.

7. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the second coalescing member is constructed of a compressed glass fiber mat impregnated with a polymerized phenol formaldehyde resin.

8. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein the separator is made of cloth.

9. A water and fuel separating unit comprising an inlet conduit, a pair of spaced heads, a hollow pack of water coalescing material compressed between said heads, a seat formed on one head within the bore of the pack, means defining an opening in the other head communicating with the bore of the pack, a rigid filtering and coalescing cartridge mounted within the bore of the pack with one end in sealing relation with said seat closure means on the other head for closing said opening, means on said one head and closure for holding said cartridge out of contact with said pack, and additional seat means on said closure means for sealing the other end of said cartridge.

0. A water and fuel separating unit comprising an inlet conduit, a pair of spaced heads, a hollow pack of water coalescing material compressed between said heads, a seat formed on one head within the bore of the pack, means defining an opening in the other head communicating with the bore of the pack, a rigid cartridge mounted within the bore of the pack and in spaced relation therewith with one end in sealing relation with said seat, closure means on the other head for closing said opening, additional seat means on said closure for sealing the other end of said cartridge, a separator bag attached to the uppermost head and enclosing said pack and means for holding said separator bag in spaced relation with respect to said pack.

11. A water and fuel separating unit comprising an inlet conduit, a pair of spaced heads, a hollow pack of water coalescing material compressed between said heads, tapered, centering boss means terminating in an annular seat formed on one head within the bore of the pack, means defining an opening in the other head communicating with the bore of the pack, a rigid, cylindrical coalescing and filtering cartridge mounted within the bore of the pack with one end centered on said boss and in sealing relation with said seat, closure means comprising a plug slidably mounted in said opening, tapered, centering boss means terminating in an annular seat, formed on said plug for centering and sealing the other end of said cartridge, and means for moving said seat means relatively toward each other to compress the cartridge therebetween.

12. A water and fuel separating unit comprising a pair of spaced heads, a hollow, pervious pack of water coalescing material comprised between said heads, a rigid, hollow, pervious, coalescing and micronic filtering cartridge, means for removably mounting said cartridge within the bore of said pack in spaced relation with respect thereto, means for sealing the ends of the cartridge and an inlet conduit communicating with the bore of said cartridge, a pervious bag and means for supporting said bag to enclose the pack in spaced relation with respect thereto.

13. A water and fuel separating unit comprising a pair of spaced heads, a hollow, pervious pack of Water coalescing material disposed between said heads, a pair of concentric foraminous walls for containing the pack, a rigid, hollow, pervious, coalescing and micronic filtering cartridge removably mounted within the bore of said pack, means for centering said cartridge within the bore, out of contact with said walls and pack, means for sealins the ends or the cartridge and an inlet conduit communicating with the bore of said cartridge.

14. A water and fuel separating unit comprising a pair of spaced heads, a hollow, pervious pack of water coalescing material disposed between said heads, means for compressing said heads toward the pack, a hollow, rigid, pervious, coalescing and micronic filtering cartridge disposed in the bore of the pack in spaced relation therewith, means for sealing the ends of said cartridge, an inlet pipe extending from one head and communicating with the interior of the cartridge, the other head comprising means extending outwardly beyond the pack, a bag supported in sealing relation on said head, extending around and past said pack and pipe in spaced relation with respect thereto and means for sealingly attaching said bag to said pipe.

15. A water and fuel separating unit comprising a pair of spaced heads, a hollow pervious pack of water coalescing material disposed between said heads, means for compressing said heads toward the pack, a hollow, rigid, pervious filter cartridge disposed in the bore of the pack, means on one head comprising tapered boss means terminating in a seat, a closure member removably mounted on the other head having tapered boss means terminating in a seat, said boss means serving to hold the cartridge in the hollow of the pack and in spaced relation thereto, means for holding said seats in sealing relation with the cartridge, an inlet pipe extending from said one head and communicating with the interior of the cartridge, said other head comprising means extending outwardly beyond the pack, a bag supported in scaling relation on said other head, extending around and past said pack and pipe and means for sealingly attaching said bag to said pipe.

PAUL A. MANKIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 994,377 Cottrell June 6, 1911 1,179,157 Braun Apr. 11, 1916 1,218,738 Zahm Mar. 13, 1917 1,642,864 Williams Sept. 20, 1927 1,710,758 Wright Apr. 30, 1929 1,787,577 Hills Jan. 6, 1931 1,823,171 Hele-Shaw et al. Sept. 15, 1931 1,947,709 Garrison et al. Feb. 20, 1934 2,103,572 Wills Dec. 28, 1937 2,196,821 Arnold Apr. 9, 1940 2,422,647 Vokes June 17, 1947 2,584,387 Harvuot Feb. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,729 Great Britain A. D. 1894 11,700 Great Britain A. D. 1897 492,956 Great Britain Sept. 26, 1938 

